NYCC 2014: Dynamite to Publish James Bond Origin Comic

As popular as the James Bond franchise is these days, it's surprising that we haven't seen any new comics featuring the suave spy hero. Luckily, publisher Dynamite Entertainment is rectifying that problem. In the build-up to NYCC this weekend, Dynamite announced that they've acquired "worldwide rights" for the James Bond franchise beginning in 2015. This deal will allow for both new stories featuring Ian Fleming's signature creation and reprints of old material.

Dynamite has yet to announce any specific projects or reprint collections. However, their press release confirms that the company will be both adapting classic novels from "the literary James Bond brand" (including Fleming's work and more recent stories by authors like Samantha Weinberg and William Boyd) and offering original stories in the 007 universe. One of these original comics will explore the origins of the character prior to the events of the 1953 novel Casino Royale. Other new projects will explore Bond's supporting cast and villains.

"Ian Fleming's James Bond is one the best-known characters in the world, yet we know very little of his background and beginnings," said Dynamite editor Mike Lake in the company's press release. "The Bond villains are some of the most memorable figures in popular culture… where did they come from? And in some cases, where did they go?"

"We're thrilled that 007 will be revisiting the world of comics, as Fleming's novels have a long and successful history in this medium, ever since they began to be published as newspaper comic strips in the late '50s," said Corinne Turner, managing director of Ian Fleming Publications. "Dynamite are the perfect partners to take on the challenge of continuing this legacy, and we are very much looking forward to working with them."

No announcements have been made regarding release dates or creative teams for these new Bond comics. Hopefully Dynamite will reveal more about their upcoming Bond plans at NYCC this weekend.